Method of and apparatus for tape cartridge duplication

ABSTRACT

A method of and apparatus for measuring the length of magnetic tape contained in tape cartridges, cueing the magnetic tape in reference to the tape splice, and rapidly duplicating the magnetic signals from one cartridge on to another.

United States Patent 1191 .Bazzy 1 1 July 10, 1973 METHOD OF ANDAPPARATUS FOR TAPE 3,359,007 12/1967 Perreau 274/4 F CARTRIDGE LI I N3,534,178 /1970 welgel 179/1002 E 3,381,910 5/1968 274 4 F [75]Inventor: Lattlf Allan Bazzy,Ster1mg 3,431,367 3/1969 274/4 F Heights,Mich. 1 3,556,535 1/1971 274/4 F 4 6 4 4 F 1 1 Asslgnee: Make-A-Tape,2:?5253 211330 Gabe, 33414 F 221 Filed: Dec. 7, 1971 i PrimaryExaminerLou1s B. Prince PP N03 205,625 Assistant ExaminerDennis A.Dcaring Att0rneyBurt0n & Parker [52] US. Cl. 274/3, 274/4 D, 179/1002 E,

179/1002 Z 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. Gllb /24, G1 1b 15/29 [58] Field ofSearch 274/4 F, 3; 242/180, A f and P E measuPng lePgth 242/181,179/1002 226/34 magnenc tape contained 1n tape cartridges, cuemg themagnetic tape in reference to the tape splice, and rapidl du licatin themagnetic signals from one cartridge [56] References Cited y P h 3 UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,560,234 7/1951 Mastersonum 179/1002 E 14 Claims, 12Drawing Figures 3,494,528 2/1970 Suzuki 226/90 3,481,607 2/ 1969 Jenkins274/4 B 4/047'0/6 /72 ("HZ/6164705 22*: '46 Z4 46L/[ 1 \{m J Jd mm J50-4111 J v ,3 p E1' '1:1' "EJ I 2G Z 7 E 20 GOA/7Z0 [if 014 734PATENTEDJUL 1 0191s slmsnr INVENTOR (4777/ AZZ/J/V BAZZ) ATTORNEYSMETHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TAPE CARTRIDGE DUPLICATION FIELD OFINVENTION This invention relates to methods and apparatus for high speedduplication of magnetic signals from one tape to another while the tapeis contained in magnetic tape cartridges.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the consumer entertainment field,cartridge recorders using prerecorded tape cartridges have achieved widepopularity, and are available for car, boat, home and portable uses.However, up to now prerecorded cartridges, except so-called pirated tapecartridges, have been costly for the consumer to purchase. Thisexpensiveness has several causes. First, it has not been possible usingunsophisticated methods to produce a high quality recording on tapealready contained within a conventional cartridge. Consequently, therecording must be made on the tape before insertion into the cartridge.Second, prior methods of manufacture require a high degree ofcentralization of manufacturing and consequent expensive investment indistribution and inventory stocks. In the highly volatile world ofpopular music, where only a small fraction of recordings become popularenough to pay for their overhead costs, those few recordings that doachieve popularity must recoup the losses incurred by the remainingrecordings. This requires a much higher price to the consumer than wouldbe required if no large inventories or complicated systems wererequired.

The local record shop, according to present methods of manufacture anddistribution, is required to maintain a substantial inventory ofprerecorded cartridges of each new cartridge offered by the recordingcompanies because it is never known for certain which prerecordedcartridge will be a hit, and once a cartridge becomes a hit the recorddealer often is confronted by such delays in obtaining delivery onreorders from the recording company or distributor that the peak demandpasses before replacement of his exhausted stock can be made. On theother hand, his inventory of new cartridges which do not sell well tiesup his available capital and thus reduces his profit-making ability.

Once a tape has been recorded and placed in a cartridge it is uneconomicto reopen the cartridge, remove the tape, re-record on it and thenrepackage the tape in the cartridge. If reasonably priced equipment wereavailable for quickly re-recording the tape in a cartridge with a highmeasure of fidelity, such equipment could be utilized to advantage insalvaging stagnant inventories of both recording companies and localrecord dealers.

One consequence of the current high price for the prerecorded cartridgeshas been the appearance of the tape pirate who purchases popularprerecorded cartridges and duplicates the hit songs therefrom, packagesthe duplicates in cartridges, and offers the duplicates at wholesaleprices to the record stores far below the wholesale price of theoriginal prerecorded tapes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes these drawbacksby providing a high quality, high speed duplicating system for recordinga master cartridge onto a cartridge containing blank tape and a methodutilizing this system to eliminate large inventories and expensivedistributor systems.

As disclosed herein the apparatus includes means for measuring the tapelength of either unknown length master or blank cartridges so thatproper length blanks can be matched with the masters, and means forcueing, when necessary, the cartridges to their tape splices so that theduplication from a master and onto a blank may start at the splices ofeach. The apparatus also includes means for rapidly effecting theduplication so that a cartridge which might normally require 45 minutesto play back can be duplicated in 2 to 3 minutes. The various functionsmentioned, viz., tape measurement, cueing and duplication are performedautomatically by simply inserting the cartridges in suitably providedcartridge receiving slots in the apparatus.

According to the method aspects of the invention, duplicating apparatusof the hereindescribed character may be geographically located atnumerous points, such as record dealer stores or other places frequentedby the public, and with a library of masters and a suitable quantity ofblank cartridges of a length to accommodate the masters, either therecord dealer or the customer may duplicate the master cartridgesdesired. Substantial savings in inventory costs and handling chargeswould thereby be realized with consequent possible lowering of bothwholesale and retail prices, amounting annually in total savings to manymillions of dollars if the method was widely adopted, and neither therecording companies nor record dealers would be caught in short supplywhen a particular cartridge became suddenly very popular. Oneconsequence of the lower prices possible to the ultimate consumer wouldbe to seriously hinder, if not eliminate, the tape piracy business.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view showing themajor components of the system;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the calibrator unit along the line II-II in FIG.3;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the calibrator unit with the front wall of themotor compartment removed for clary;

FIG. 4 is a'bottom view of the calibrator unit along the line IVIV inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a master cartridge having a strip ofsensing foil attached so that the same will render the duplicatingapparatus inoperative to erase its tape;

FIG. 6 is a top detail of a cartridge in the duplicator unit along theline VIVI in FIG. 10;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a tape head assembly in theduplicator unit;

FIG. 8 is a side view showing the initiating switches in the duplicatorunit;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view through the duplicator unit taken alongline 9-9 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 10 is a front detail of the duplicator unit;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a suitable logic control circuit forthe calibrator unit; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a suitable logic control circuit forautomatic operation of the duplicator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows all of thecomponents of the cartridge duplication system conveniently arranged.The main component units are a controller 20 which contains the logiccircuits, amplifiers and power supplies for the duplicator 22 andcalibrator 24; the duplicator 22 in which a prerecorded master tapecartridge is recorded onto a slave cartridge containing a length ofblank tape equal to or greater than the length of the master tape; thecalibrator 24 on which the tape contained in a cartridge can be measuredfor length and cued to a known point on the tape for further use; and,for convenient compliance with the copyright laws or other datarecording purposes, a data accumulation unit 26 may be provided in thesystem where a code number for each master cartridge copied can berecorded. The aforementioned units may be conveniently housed in anenclosure 27 or may be independently free standing as desired.

The controller 20 can be supplied with volume meters 30 to show the userthat the amplifiers are operating properly. It has been found convenientto provide the controller with a mother circuit board into which thelogic, bias oscillator, power supply and amplifier boards can beplugged. Multi-pin connectors are used to connect the controller to theduplicator and calibrator units. Conventional amplifier, bias oscillatorand power supply circuits are used. However, in choosing the amplifierfrequency response range and bias oscillator frequency, the high speedoperation of the system must be kept in mind so that the full range offrequencies on the master is reproduced on the duplicated cartridges.

Turning more specifically to the calibrator unit 24, FIG. 2 shows a topview into the cartridge compartment 32 and FIG. 4 shows a bottom viewinto the motor compartment 34. These two compartments are separated by aplate 38 made of a substantial structural material, such as aluminum.The plate 38 serves as a mounting base for the elements in bothcompartments as shown in FIG. 3. Plate 38 may be mounted in turn in arectangular casing 40 by screws 42. This unit may be either freestanding as in FIG. 3, or incorporated without casing 40 into anintegrated unit as in FIG. 1. The motor compartment 34 in FIG. 3 isshown with the casing 40 cut away while the cartridge compartment 34 isnot shown with its cover 35 cut away. In the cartridge compartment 32,two upright members 44 and 46 are formed from machined aluminum to formtwo channels in each upright. Corresponding channels in opposite membersform slots 48 and 50 for accurately holding and positioning tapecartridges. These slots open outwardly toward the front of the machineenabling them to receive a tape cartridge. Machine screws 52 securelybolt the uprights 44 and 46 to the plate 38 as well as to a top plate54. Top plate 54 is made in similarly solid manner to provide a rigidbox-like compartment whose side walls 44 and 46 will securely hold andposition tape cartridges. Into side wall 44 at the non-open back end ofeach of the slots 48 and 50 are fastened tape splice sensing means inthe form of contacts 56 and 58 by screws 60 and spacers 62. The contactsare insulated from each other by insulators 57 and 59. The function ofthese sensors will be discussed below during the discussion of themachine function.

A roller 66 on a movable arm 68 is tensioned by spring 70 which is heldby flange 67 on the arm 68 and protrudes through an aperture 64 in theother side wall 46. The movable arm 68 is pivoted on a bracket 76 whichis attached to the side wall 46 by screw 78. There is an aperture 64 androller 66 located in the lower half of each of the slots 48 and 50 todetent a standard cartridge in each slot. When no cartridge is insertedin a slot a stop 72 engages the outside of the side wall 46. When acartridge is inserted the roller 66 is pushed back until a detentreceiving edge notch 204 (see FIG.

6) in the cartridge is reached. The roller 66 then exactly positions thecartridge with a tension force of three to five pounds into a desiredpreset position. The tension force is provided by spring 70 and isadjustable by means of set screw 74. Set screw 74 is mounted in anupright support which also supports a retraction solenoid 82 for eachslot. Support 80 runs from the separation plate 38 to the top plate 54and is secured similarly to the slot-forming members 44 and 46 bymachine screws 52. However, support 80 is at a slight angle to members44 and 46 to provide for the angular pivoting of the arm 68.

Each retraction solenoid 82 is mounted in support 80 so that its movingarm 84 is engaged by pin 86 to a closed slot 88 formed in flange 90 ofthe arm 68.

Thus in operation roller 66 and arm 68 can freely retract from thedetent notch when inserting or withdrawing a tape cartridge andautomatic retraction is accomplished through flange 90 when the solenoid82 is actuated in response to a logic signal.

A fourth upright member in the cartridge compartment is the capstanhousing 92. This member is likewise made of heavy structural materialand is secured to the top and bottom plates 38 and 54 by screws 52. Itis positioned near the channel-forming member 46 in such a position asto provide a firm pressure to the pinch roller of a tape cartridge whenthe cartridge detent notch is gripped by roller 66. The capstan housinghas two recesses 104 cut into its front edge to provide exposure for thecapstan 98 to the tape cartridge pinch roller. Oil impregnated bushings102 provide a low friction mounting for the capstan. The capstan 98protrudes through top plate 54 and ends in a knob which can behand-turned to unwrap any tape that may have become accidentally woundaround the capstan. Likewise the capstan extends through the bottomplate 38 through aperture 106 for connection to the driving motor. Thecapstan 98 may have different diameter portions exposed to the tapecartridge pinch rollers, as at 94 and 96, to drive the tape at anydesired speed as described below.

Also attached to the capstan housing 92 are switching means such asmicroswitches 108 and 108a whose triggers sense the physical presence ofa tape cartridge within a slot whether or not gripped by the detentroller 66.

In the motor compartment 34 the capstan 98 is connected by a flexiblecoupling 11 to the drive shaft 110 of an electric motor 112. Motor 112is mounted by screws 114 onto a plate 116 which is suspended by shockmounts 118 from plate 38. A rubber wheel 120 runs against the capstan98. The shaft of the wheel 120 in turn drives a pulley 124 having a belt122 driving a conventional mechanical counter 126. The counter 126 cancount in any arbitrary units; it has been found convenient to have thecounter calibrated in half feet.

The wheel 120 and pulley 124 are mounted on a bracket 128 pivoted at 130and attached by the pivot to the plate 38. The bracket 128 has a stud132 over which a spring 134 is held to tension the wheel 120 against thecapstan 98. On the opposite side of the pivot 130 from the center 136 ofthe wheel 120, a tongue 138 is attached to the bracket 128. This tongueis connected to a solenoid 140 which is connected to plate 38 such thatwhen the solenoid is actuated in response to a command from the logicsystem, the wheel 120 will be pulled away from the capstan 98 thuscausing the counter 126 to cease registering. Knob 142 is provided forconvenient resetting of the counter. Adjustable screw 144 provides astop so that wheel 120 will not be pushed too forcefully against thecapstan 98 causing the wheel to develop a deformity during periods ofnon-use. Both the screw 144 and the spring 134 are attached to a frame146 which is suspended from plate 38. The frame 146 contains a terminalstrip and all the components necessary for the simple logic required inthe calibrator (See FIG. 11).

Like the calibrator unit, the duplicator unit includes a cartridgecompartment and a motor compartment. Both units are very similar inconstruction and primed reference numbers designate similar parts. Themotor is the only element in the motor compartment of the duplicator;there is no counting assembly or logic component included in the motorcompartment. However, the motor is mounted in the same fashion as thecalibrator unit motor.

The cartridge compartment of the duplicator unit has the sameslot-forming uprights 44 and 46', the same solenoid detent assembly andthe same capstan arrangement 92' as the calibrator. However, the sensingcontacts 56 and 58 of the calibrator are replaced by a tape recordingand playback assembly as shown in FIGS. 6 through 11.

In FIG. 9, the left upright member 44' may have a pair of insulatedcontacts 150 embedded in the upper channel 48 to sense the presence of amarked master cartridge in the recording channel as described below. Inthe duplicator unit the left upright member 44' and the capstan housing92 have horizontal slots milled out to accept a flat plate 156 and 156acemented therein and on which are mounted the recording or playbackheads 158 and 158a, 159 and 159a, and tape guides 160, 160a, 162 and162a. The plate 156 is positioned so that the recording and playbackheads and guides are at the proper height to accurately playback andrecord the cartridges. Accurate positioning of the heads is achieved bycementing each head to a brass pad 164 and 164a and then machining thepad bottom to ensure that the head tracks are accurately aligned withrespect to the bottom of the pad and are at a specified distance. Thiscan be done accurately to within 0.0005 inch which is well within thetolerances permissible for accurate recording. The brass pads are thensecurely bolted to the flat aluminum plate as shown in FIG. 7. Recordingand playback heads 158 and 159 are set at different heights as are heads158a and 159a, whereby the transducers in the paired heads are in effectinterleaved. Since each head records or plays back four tracks, alleight tracks can thus be recorded with one cycle of the cartridge. Thetape from each cartridge is oriented by means of a guide which ispositioned to accurately guide the recording tape past the head. Theguides are securely attached by screws to the plate 156.

' Guides 162 and 162a are insulated from the plate and acts as a tapesplice sensing means to trigger the logic means as hereinafterdescribed.

Also contained in the cartridge compartment of the duplicator unit aremulti-pin connectors 163 mounted on a bracket 165 to provide connectionbetween the recording and playback heads and the amplifiers contained inthe controller unit as well as the logic signals and commands from thecontroller.

The casing 35 of the cartridge compartment may for convenience includelights 170 to indicate when each cartridge has reached its splice andlight 172 to indicate to the consumer when the duplication is completed.

The positioning of the cartridge sensing means microswitches 108 and108a are shown in FIG. 8 in contact with cartridges 200. FIG. 5 shows atypical master cartridge having a triggering means in the form of apiece of conductive foil 202 to protect the master against accidentalerasure as described below. Except for the foil 202, master and blankcartridges are of identical construction.

FIG. 6 shows a close-up of a cartridge 200 engaged in the master slot.The detent receiving edge notch 204 is securely gripped by the roller 66to hold the cartridge pinch roller 206 securely against the capstandiameter pinching the tape 208 and driving the tape. The resilientpressure pad means 210 contained within the cartridge, firmly pressesthe tape 208 against the playback heads through the two open windows 212and 213 of the cartridge. Guides a and 162a accurately position the tapeso that the tape is properly aligned when it passes over the recordingor playback heads. When the cartridge 200 is first inserted into theslot, switching means 108a is switched after the front edge 205 of thedetent receiving edge notch 204 is beyond the centerline 220 of theroller 66' and arm 68' so that when the consumer releases the cartridge,the machine will automatically position the cartridge in properposition.

It is of course possible to provide for making more than one copy of amaster tape at any time by simply using the top plate 54' of theduplicator as the bottom plate 38 for another cartridge compartmenthaving a pair of slots and heads and extending the common capstan 98' tothe length needed. Even more duplicates can be made by further stackingof cartridge compartments as desired.

The operation of the schematic diagrams of the logic shown in FIGS. 11and 12 can be best understood with reference to the normal operation ofthe machine.

Electrical power to all machine functions is controlled by means ofon-off switch 300. When this switch is turned on the logic systems onlyare energized and this controls the operation of the machine from thispoint on in response to certain operator actions.

If the master cartridge to be duplicated has not previously had itslength determined, this is first done by using the calibrator. It is ofcourse to be understood that the tape contained in the cartridgeshandled by this equipment is in the form of an endless loop, with themeeting ends spliced together to form the loop. If the tape splice isnot visible in the window of the cartridge teh cartridge is inserted inthe cue slot 50 in the calibrator unit. As the cartridge is inserted,sensing means, such as microswitch 108a in FIGS. 3 and 11, is closed asthe detent receiving notch 204 of the cartridge is gripped by the roller66, as in FIG. 6. When switch 108 in the calibrator unit is closed,relay 302 closes supplying the logic voltage to the calibrator logicunit at the same time supplying power to the capstan driving motor 112.The tape contained within the cartridge is then driven at high speeduntil the tape splice makes contact with the sensing means 56a and 58a.Since the tape splice utilizes a piece of conducting foil, the sensingmeans comprising a pair of contacts 56a and 58a are momentarilycontacted as the conductive foil passes over them. This triggers asilicon controlled rectifier (SCR) 304 which applies a voltage acrossthe detent retracting solenoid 82a causing the detent to pull back andreleasing pressure between the capstan diameter 96 and the cartridgepinch roller 206 causing the tape to stop moving. The cartridge now hasits tape end splice visible in either window 212 or 213 and can now bemeasured. Because cueing is only desired to locate the tape splice inthe cartridge, the faster cueing is accomplished the more desirable.Consequently it is desirable to have the capstan 98 present a largediameter to the pinch roller, as at 96 in FIG. 3. A driving speed ofabout 30 inches per second will conveniently and quickly cue acartridge.

After a tape cartridge has been cued so that its tape splice appears inthe window, it is then measured to determine its length so that a blankcartridge of comparable length may be used for duplicating the master.To measure the length of any cartridge, the cartridge with the spliceshowing in the window, but beyond the splice sensing means, is insertedin the calibration slot 48 after the counter 126 has been reset to zeroby knob 142. When the cartridge is inserted, the cartridge sensingswitch 108 for that slot starts the motor 112 which drives the tapethrough a complete cycle until the tape splice sensing means 56 and 58for that slot triggers another SCR 308 which activates both the detentretracting solenoid 82 and the counter stopping solenoid 140. The lengthof the tape in the cartridge then corresponds to the number on thecounter. A blank tape of the proper length can then be selected toensure that the entire master can be recored onto the blank withoutlosing part of the recording. Similarly, if the blank cartridge is ofunknown length, it can be cued and measured the same as the master.

The speed of calibration should be slower than cueing so that a moreaccurate measurement can be made. The capstan 98 must have a diameter asat 94 in FIG. 3 so that the wheel 120 running against the capstan willproportionately drive the counter in proportion to the circumferentialdistance travelled by the capstan. Measurement of cartridge lengths towithin a half foot has been found practical and convenient.

in the logic system of the calibrator unit in FIG. 11, the resistors 314act as a voltage divider to provide the proper triggering voltage to theSCRs 304 and 308. Diodes 316 prevent surges in voltages fromunexpectedly actuating solenoids 82a, 82 and 140.

After the master cartridge has been cued and calibrated and a blankcartridge of comparable length selected, the duplicator unit is thenused to transfer the master recording onto the blank. As used in thisinvention, "master means any prerecorded tape cartridge which it isdesired to duplicate onto one or more other cartridges while blank meansany cartridge, whether or not it has a previous recording on it, uponwhich it is desired to reproduce the recording contained in the mastercartridge.

The master is inserted into the master slot 50 in the duplicator unit.if the master were to be put into the wrong slot, the desired recordingwould be erased if another cartridge were put into the other slot. Toprevent this occurrence, each master may be encoded by having a strip ofconducting foil 202 placed on the side of the cartridge so that if it isinserted into the wrong slot, contacts will be closed actuating relay320 which will remove power from the logic circuit thus preventing anyoperation of the duplicator as long as the master is in the wrong slot.Forxeach relay in the logic of FIG. 12 the primed reference numeralsindicate that that switch is controlled by the numbered relay.

Before any cartridge is used in the duplicator unit, the tape splicemust be positioned over the pinch roller 206. If the calibrator unit hasbeen used, it may be necessary to move the tape by hand to position itover the pinch roller. This is due to the fact that the tape splicesensing means on the calibrator unit is located at the edge of theopening where the tape emerges since it is necessary to account for thecoasting of the tape after the detent has retracted since the tape hasbeen moving at high speed. The tape splice sensing means in theduplicator, however, is between the last head 159 or 159a and its guide162 or 162a, which is nearer the pinch roller end of the cartridge. Ifthe momentum of the tape as it is cued or calibrated does not carry thesplice beyond the position of the sensing means in the duplicator, it isnecessary to do this manually.

After the master has been inserted in the correct slot, the master slotcartridge sensing switch 108a closes when the detent roller 66a engagesthe detent receiving edge notch 204 on the master cartridge. When theblank cartridge is inserted in its slot, switch 108' closes to groundone side of the logic. This causes relay 322 to close starting the drivemotor 112 and turning on the amplifiers and bias oscillator 113, andapplying the logic voltage directly to the SCRs 324 and 326 controllingthe detent retraction solenoids 82' and 82a which are thereby actuatedto withdraw the detent rollers 66' and 66a out of the cartridge notches,and thus prevent the pinch roller from tightly engaging the capstan todrive the tapes. At the same time the start delay transistor 332 startsits timed delay and after three to five seconds, during which time thedriving motor comes up to speed, actuates the starting relay 334 whichdisconnects the logic power from the detent retraction solenoids 82' and82a and enables the shutoff of transistor 336. With deenergization ofthe solenoids, the detents 66 and 66a shift back into firm engagementwith the cartridge notches 204 to shift the cartridges back toward thecapstan bringing the pinch rollers of the cartridges into tape drivingrelation with the capstan, and thus simultaneously starting both themaster and the blank cartridge tapes. Thus both cartridges are startedtogether, and if the capstan 98' has the same diameter 95 exposed toboth cartridges, the blank will be recorded at the same speed as themaster is played, ensuring an accurate copy.

When the first cartridge, either the blank or the master, returns itstape splice to the window, it triggers its SCR 324 or 326 by makingcontact across the conducting foil of the tape splice between guide post162 or 162a and the tape head 159 or 159a. This causes the detentretraction solenoid 82 or 82a to be actuated along with its notificationlight or 170a thus disengaging the pinch roller from the capstan. Whenthe other cartridge tape splice triggers its SCR and detent solenoid, italso triggers transistor 333 which in turn switches transistor 336 tosupply power actuating relay 338 which shuts off the driving motor 122,the amplifiers 113 and the indicator lamp 172. When the formerly blankcartridge is removed, the switch 108' opens and discharges capacitor 340through a standard electrical pulse counter 342 registering eachduplicate made on the machine. Then the logic returns to its quiescentfloating state to await the next duplication, provided either themomentum of the master cartridge has carried the tape splice off thesplice sensing contacts or the master has been removed.

While it is possible to duplicate a master onto a blank by the method atany speed which the structure of the tape and cartridges will withstand,consideration of the frequency range of the system become ofconsiderable importance as the duplicating speed is raised. For example,if a master cartridge is duplicated at the normal playback speed ofapproximately 3-% inches per second, a 45-minute cartridge will take 45minutes to record, then the amplifier, playback and record heads needonly accommodate the normal frequency range, 50 to 1 1,000 hertz, andthe bias oscillator can be set for 23 kilohertz. But if the cartridge isduplicated at sixteen times normal speed, viz. inches per second, whichis the preferred speed, although a 45-minute cartridge will only takethree minutes to duplicate, the amplifier, playback and record headswill have to accommodate a frequency range of from 800 to 177,000 hertzto I make a duplicate which will fully reproduce the fre-' quency rangeof the master, and the bias oscillator will have to be set at least to355 kilohertz. Thus high speed duplication as herein contemplatedrequires professional quality recording and playback heads as well ashigh quality amplifiers.

Since this method contemplates recording every track of the master ontothe blank with only one cycle of the tape, it is necessary that morethan one playback head read the master and more than one record headtransduce the amplified signal from the master onto the blank tape.Four-track playback and record heads are available, thus two heads arenecessary to record all eight tracks of the standard cartridge. Recordand playback heads are paired, 158 and 158a, 159 and 159a to ensure thatcorresponding points on the master tape will have the same relativepositioning on the blank tape. The guides 160, 162, 160a and 162aperform the function of preventing the tape from oscillating verticallyacross the recording and playback heads. The cartridge pressure pads 210provide sufficient pressure to hold the tape against the record andplayback heads when the detents are engaged in the cartridge notches asshown in FIG. 6. The pressure pads also serve to thrust the cartridgesoutwardly away from the capstan to disengage the tapes from drivingengagement therewith during start-up of the capstan motor ashereinbefore described.

Once a master cartridge has been calibrated to determine its length, itis only necessary to use a blank cartridge having at least that long alength of tape in it to duplicate the master. in the duplication processthe master is inserted in the slot 50', the blank in slot 48' and asboth switches 108' and 108a are thereupon closed, the duplicator willcommence operation as above described and the entire duplication will becarried out automatically. Upon energization of the notification light,the operator removes the finished duplicate and master cartridges fromthe machine.

The simplicity and ease of producing high quality du plicate recordingsby this equipment lends itself to novel use. It is now possible for aconsumer to do the duplication himself. For example, since some musicstores maintain a library of master cartridge recordings, it is nowpossible for the customer to buy a blank cartridge and utilize thismachine to duplicate a master onto the blank tape. Other retail storesmay have exchange plans where a customer can exchange cartridges basedupon popularity ratings of the new and returned selections.

Now if a library of master recordings were available in the store, theconsumer could rent a master cartridge from the library, buy the rightlength blank cartridge and duplicate the master himself. Coin-operatedduplication is also possible, thus unattended machines could beavailable for duplication at any time, anywhere, such as gas stations,drug stores and shopping centers.

Recording companies could locate these machines at numerous distributionpoints throughout the country, stock a master copy of their recordingsat each location and numerous blank tapes, and fill orders from retailstores without the necessity of maintaining a large inventory of everyrecording. Because of the simplicity of operation, only unskilled laboris necessary at these locations to rapidly produce numerous duplicates,thus reducing the high cost to consumers of prerecorded tape cartridges.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the soundsonto a blank tape cartridge, a plurality of cartridge receiving slotsopening outwardly of the machine at one end for insertion of cartridges,a motor driven capstan common to the slots and extending alongside eachfor driving engagement of the tapes in cartridges in the slots, magneticsignal duplicating means including a pickup head associated with oneslot and a recording head associated with each other slot forduplicating the magnetic signals from a tape cartridge received in saidone slot to each tape cartridge received in each other slot, meansassociated with each slot for simultaneously establishing drivingengagement between the capstan and all cartridges in the slots andreleasably holding the individual cartridges in the aforesaid tapedriving engagement with the capstan, and means responsive to the fullcycling of the tape in individual cartridges for causing the cartridgeholding means to release a full cycled cartridge from driving'engagementwith the capstan while an incompletely cycled tape cartridge remains indriving engagement with the capstan.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 characterized by the provision ofmeans for discontinuing operation of the motor driven capstan uponcompletion of a full cycle by the last cartridge in tape drivenengagement with the capstan.

3. The invention defined by claim 1 characterized in that one of saidslots is provided with a magnetic pickup head responsive to magneticsignals on a prerecorded tape cartridge inserted in the slot, amplifiermeans connected to said head and including a magnetic transcribing headfor each other slot disposed to impress magnetic signals on tape in acartridge received therein, and means responsive to the presence of tapecartridges in all the slots for simultaneously actuating the cartridgeholding means associated with each slot to simultaneously hold thecartridge in tape driven engagement with the capstan.

4. The invention defined by claim 1 characterized by the provision ofcontrol means connected to said motor driven capstan and to saidcartridge holding means and responsive to the introduction of cartridgesinto the slots to initiate operation of the capstan and withhold thecartridges from driving engagement between the capstan and magnetic tapein the cartridges while the capstan attains operating speed andthereafter cause said holding means to establish driving engagementbetween the capstan and magnetic tape in all of the cartridgessimultaneously.

5. The invention defined by claim 4 characterized in that said cartridgeholding means includes a spring biased part for engaging a cartridgeupon introduction into a slot and urging the cartridge into tape drivenrelation with the capstan, and said control means includes cartridgesensing means in each slot responsive to the initial introduction of acartridge into the slot for momentarily actuating said cartridge holdingmeans to cause release of the cartridge by said spring biased part fromtape driving engagement with the capstan while the capstan attainsoperating speed and thereafter cause said spring biased part to shiftthe cartridge to reengage the cartridge tape with the capstan.

6. The invention defined by claim 4 characterized in that said controlmeans includes serially connected cartridge sensing means for the slotswith the control means responsive only to the presence of cartridges inall the slots to initiate operation of the motor driven capstan.

7. in an automatic tape cartridge duplicating machine:

a master tape cartridge receiving slot and a blank tape cartridgereceiving slot, motor driven capstan means having a capstan common toand extending alongside the slots for driving the tapes of cartridgesreceived therein at a common speed in excess of normal tape playbackspeed, cartridge engaging means associated with each slot to engage acartridge in the slot and shift it into or releaae it from drivingengagement with the capstan,

magnetic signal transcribing means including playback and transcribingheads adjacent respectively the master and blank tape cartridgereceiving slots for duplicating the magnetic signals of the master tapeonto the blank tape,

and a control system connected to the motor driven capstan means and thecartridge engaging means for controlling the sme through a cycle ofoperation comprising initiating operation of the motor driven capstanmeans and thereafter initiating the cartridge engaging means tosimultaneously shift the cartridge into driving engagement with thecapstan for duplication of the magnetic signals from the master to theblank cartridge tape and initiating the cartridge engaging means torelease driven engagement of each cartridge with the capstan uponcompletion of one full cycle of its tape and initiating the motor drivencapstan means to stop the capstan upon the release of all cartridgesfrom driven engagement with the capstan.

8. The invention defined in claim 7 characterized in that said controlsystem includes cartridge sensing means associated with each slot andresponsive to the presence of cartridges in each slot for initiatingsaid cycle of operation. 5

9. The invention defined in claim 8 characterized in that said means toengage a cartridge in each slot includes a spring loaded part yieldableto the insertion of a cartridge in the slot and cooperable with a recessin the cartridge to bias the cartridge into tape driven relation withthe capstan, and said control system is operable to shift momentarilysaid spring loaded detent to release the cartridge from drivenengagement with the capstan during starting of the motor driven capstanwhile the capstan attains operating speed.

10. The invention defined by claim 7 characterized in that said cycle ofoperation of the control system includes momentary actuation of thecartridge engaging means to release each cartridge from driven relationwith the capstan during starting of the motor driven capstan while thesame attains operating speed.

11. [n a machine for automatically and rapidly duplicating multitrackmagnetic tape cartridges each of which has window means at one endexposing a length of the tape:

at least two cartridge receiving slots, one for a master cartridge andanother for a blank cartridge, with each slot arranged to receive acartridge thereinto window-end-first,

a motor driven capstan common to and extending across the inner ends ofthe slots for driving engagement with tape in cartridges received in theslots, and operable to drive the tapes at a common speed substantiallyin excess of normal playback speed,

magnetic signal duplicating system including pickup head means at theinner end of said one slot for engagement with precorded tape throughthe master cartridge window means and recording head means at the innerend of the other slot for engagement with tape through the blankcartridge window means,

said pickup and said recording head means each having a magnetic signaltransducer for each magnetic track of the tape such that upon a singlepassage of the tape all tracks of the tape will be presented in signaltransfer relation with the head means and the signals of all tracks onthe master duplicated on corresponding tracks of the blank,

cartridge holding means for releasably holding the cartridges in tapedriven engagement with the cap stan,

a starting circuit for the motor driven capstan including meansresponsive to the presence of a cartridge in each of the slots forenabling starting of the capstan motor,

and tape splice sensing means at the inner end of each slot connected tothe respective cartridge holding means of such slot and responsive tothe passage of a tape splice at the window means of a cartridge insertedin the slot for causing the holding means to release such cartridge fromdriving engagement with the capstan.

12. In a machine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the soundsonto a blank tape cartridge, a plurality of cartridge receiving slotsopening outwardly of the machine at one end for insertion of cartridges,motor driven capstan means for the slots for driving engagement of thetapes in cartridges in the slots, mag- 13 netic signal duplicating meansincluding a pickup head associated with one slot and a recording headassociated with each other slot for duplicating the magnetic signalsfrom a tape cartridge received in said one slot to each tape cartridgereceived in each other slot, means for initiating operation of thecapstan means, means associated with each slot for releasably holdingthe individual cartridges in the aforesaid tape driving engagement withthe capstan means and operable upon initiation of the capstan means towithhold tape driving engagement between the cartridges and capstanmeans until the capstan means has attained operating speed andthereafter establish tape driving engagement of all cartridgessimultaneously, and means responsive to the full cycling of the tape inindividual cartridges for causing the cartridge holding means to releasea full cycled cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan meanswhile an incompletely cycled tape cartridge remains in drivingengagement with the capstan means until it has been fully cycled.

13. A high speed cartridge-to-cartridge duplicating machine formultitrack magnetic tape cartridges:

a master cartridge receiving slot and a blank cartridge receiving slot,capstan means for each slot for driving engagement with the tapecontained in a cartridge in the slot, motor means connected to thecapstan means for driving the same at identical rates sufiicient tocause driving of tape engaged with the capstan means substantiallyfaster than normal tape playing speed, magnetic signal duplicating meansfor duplicating in a single pass all magnetic track signals from amaster tape cartridge to a blank tape cartridge, said duplicating meansincluding a pair of fixed pickup heads for the master cartridge slot anda pair of recording heads for the blank cartridge slot with each headhaving a plurality of magnetic track signal transducers spaced apartacross the width of the tape to receive signals from alternate trackswith each pair of heads arranged in offset spaced relation along thetape presented by each cartridge to'interleave the signal transducerssuch that each track of the tape mates with a transducer, cartridgeholding means for each slot for holding a cartridge therein indriving'engagement with the capstan means and releasing the cartridgefrom driving engagement with the capstan means,

and control means connected to said motor means and to said cartridgeholding means and including serially connected cartridge sensing meansin the slots for enabling operation of the motor means only when thereis a cartridge in each slot in a ready to duplicate position, with saidcontrol means operable to actuate the cartridge holding means upon fullcycling of the magnetic tape in a cartridge to release such cartridgefrom driving engagement with the capstan means while the other cartridgeremains in driving engagement with the capstan means until it is fullycycled.

14. In a machine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the soundsonto a blank tape cartridge,

a plurality of cartridge receiving slots opening outwardly of themachine at one end for insertion of cartridges,

motor driven capstan means for the slots for driving engagement of thetapes in cartridges in the slots,

magnetic signal duplicating means including a pickup head associatedwith one slot and a recording head associated with each other slot forduplicating the magnetic signals from a tape cartridge received in oneslot to each tape cartridge received in each other slot,

cartridge holding means associated with each slot for releasably holdingthe cartridges in the aforesaid tape driving engagement with thecapstan,

and means connected to the motor driven capstan means and to thecartridge holding means for controlling the same through a cycle ofoperation comprising initiating operation of the motor driven capstanmeans while simultaneously with-holding driving engagement between thecartridge tapes and capstan means by said cartridge holding means untilthe capstan means has attained operating speed and thereupon initiatingoperation of the cartridge holding means to establish tape drivingengagement between the capstan means and all the tape cartridgessimultaneously and thereafter initiate operation of the cartridgeholding means to selectively release the cartridges from tape drivingengagement with the capstan means as each is fully cycled.

1. In a machine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the soundsonto a blank tape cartridge, a plurality of cartridge receiving slotsopening outwardly of the machine at one end for insertion of cartridges,a motor driven capstan common to the slots and extending alongside eachfor driving engagement of the tapes in cartridges in the slots, magneticsignal duplicating means including a pickup head associated with oneslot and a recording head associated with each other slot forduplicating the magnetic signals from a tape cartridge received in saidone slot to each tape cartridge received in each other slot, meansassociated with each slot for simultaneously establishing drivingengagement between the capstan and all cartridges in the slots andreleasably holding the individual cartridges in the aforesaid tapedriving engagement with the capstan, and means responsive to the fullcycling of the tape in individual cartridges for causing the cartridgeholding means to release a full cycled cartridge from driving engagementwith the capstan while an incompletely cycled tape cartridge remains indriving engagement with the capstan.
 2. The invention defined in claim 1characterized by the provision of means for discontinuing operation ofthe motor driven capstan upon completion of a full cycle by the lastcartridge in tape driven engagement with the capstan.
 3. The inventiondefined by claim 1 characterized in that one of said slots is providedwith a magnetic pickup head responsive to magnetic signals on aprerecorded tape cartridge inserted in the slot, amplifier meansconnected to said head and including a magnetic transcribing head foreach other slot disposed to impress magnetic signals on tape in acartridge received therein, and means responsive to the presence of tapecartridges in all the slots for simultaneously actuating the cartridgeholding means associated with each slot to simultaneously hold thecartridge in tape driven engagement with the capstan.
 4. The inventiondefined by claim 1 characterized by the provision of control meansconnected to said motor driven capstan aNd to said cartridge holdingmeans and responsive to the introduction of cartridges into the slots toinitiate operation of the capstan and withhold the cartridges fromdriving engagement between the capstan and magnetic tape in thecartridges while the capstan attains operating speed and thereaftercause said holding means to establish driving engagement between thecapstan and magnetic tape in all of the cartridges simultaneously. 5.The invention defined by claim 4 characterized in that said cartridgeholding means includes a spring biased part for engaging a cartridgeupon introduction into a slot and urging the cartridge into tape drivenrelation with the capstan, and said control means includes cartridgesensing means in each slot responsive to the initial introduction of acartridge into the slot for momentarily actuating said cartridge holdingmeans to cause release of the cartridge by said spring biased part fromtape driving engagement with the capstan while the capstan attainsoperating speed and thereafter cause said spring biased part to shiftthe cartridge to re-engage the cartridge tape with the capstan.
 6. Theinvention defined by claim 4 characterized in that said control meansincludes serially connected cartridge sensing means for the slots withthe control means responsive only to the presence of cartridges in allthe slots to initiate operation of the motor driven capstan.
 7. In anautomatic tape cartridge duplicating machine: a master tape cartridgereceiving slot and a blank tape cartridge receiving slot, motor drivencapstan means having a capstan common to and extending alongside theslots for driving the tapes of cartridges received therein at a commonspeed in excess of normal tape playback speed, cartridge engaging meansassociated with each slot to engage a cartridge in the slot and shift itinto or releaae it from driving engagement with the capstan, magneticsignal transcribing means including playback and transcribing headsadjacent respectively the master and blank tape cartridge receivingslots for duplicating the magnetic signals of the master tape onto theblank tape, and a control system connected to the motor driven capstanmeans and the cartridge engaging means for controlling the sme through acycle of operation comprising initiating operation of the motor drivencapstan means and thereafter initiating the cartridge engaging means tosimultaneously shift the cartridge into driving engagement with thecapstan for duplication of the magnetic signals from the master to theblank cartridge tape and initiating the cartridge engaging means torelease driven engagement of each cartridge with the capstan uponcompletion of one full cycle of its tape and initiating the motor drivencapstan means to stop the capstan upon the release of all cartridgesfrom driven engagement with the capstan.
 8. The invention defined inclaim 7 characterized in that said control system includes cartridgesensing means associated with each slot and responsive to the presenceof cartridges in each slot for initiating said cycle of operation. 9.The invention defined in claim 8 characterized in that said means toengage a cartridge in each slot includes a spring loaded part yieldableto the insertion of a cartridge in the slot and cooperable with a recessin the cartridge to bias the cartridge into tape driven relation withthe capstan, and said control system is operable to shift momentarilysaid spring loaded detent to release the cartridge from drivenengagement with the capstan during starting of the motor driven capstanwhile the capstan attains operating speed.
 10. The invention defined byclaim 7 characterized in that said cycle of operation of the controlsystem includes momentary actuation of the cartridge engaging means torelease each cartridge from driven relation with the capstan duringstarting of the motor driven capstan while the same attains operatingspeed.
 11. In a machine for automatically and rApidly duplicatingmultitrack magnetic tape cartridges each of which has window means atone end exposing a length of the tape: at least two cartridge receivingslots, one for a master cartridge and another for a blank cartridge,with each slot arranged to receive a cartridge thereintowindow-end-first, a motor driven capstan common to and extending acrossthe inner ends of the slots for driving engagement with tape incartridges received in the slots, and operable to drive the tapes at acommon speed substantially in excess of normal playback speed, amagnetic signal duplicating system including pickup head means at theinner end of said one slot for engagement with precorded tape throughthe master cartridge window means and recording head means at the innerend of the other slot for engagement with tape through the blankcartridge window means, said pickup and said recording head means eachhaving a magnetic signal transducer for each magnetic track of the tapesuch that upon a single passage of the tape all tracks of the tape willbe presented in signal transfer relation with the head means and thesignals of all tracks on the master duplicated on corresponding tracksof the blank, cartridge holding means for releasably holding thecartridges in tape driven engagement with the capstan, a startingcircuit for the motor driven capstan including means responsive to thepresence of a cartridge in each of the slots for enabling starting ofthe capstan motor, and tape splice sensing means at the inner end ofeach slot connected to the respective cartridge holding means of suchslot and responsive to the passage of a tape splice at the window meansof a cartridge inserted in the slot for causing the holding means torelease such cartridge from driving engagement with the capstan.
 12. Ina machine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the sounds onto ablank tape cartridge, a plurality of cartridge receiving slots openingoutwardly of the machine at one end for insertion of cartridges, motordriven capstan means for the slots for driving engagement of the tapesin cartridges in the slots, magnetic signal duplicating means includinga pickup head associated with one slot and a recording head associatedwith each other slot for duplicating the magnetic signals from a tapecartridge received in said one slot to each tape cartridge received ineach other slot, means for initiating operation of the capstan means,means associated with each slot for releasably holding the individualcartridges in the aforesaid tape driving engagement with the capstanmeans and operable upon initiation of the capstan means to withhold tapedriving engagement between the cartridges and capstan means until thecapstan means has attained operating speed and thereafter establish tapedriving engagement of all cartridges simultaneously, and meansresponsive to the full cycling of the tape in individual cartridges forcausing the cartridge holding means to release a full cycled cartridgefrom driving engagement with the capstan means while an incompletelycycled tape cartridge remains in driving engagement with the capstanmeans until it has been fully cycled.
 13. A high speedcartridge-to-cartridge duplicating machine for multitrack magnetic tapecartridges: a master cartridge receiving slot and a blank cartridgereceiving slot, capstan means for each slot for driving engagement withthe tape contained in a cartridge in the slot, motor means connected tothe capstan means for driving the same at identical rates sufficient tocause driving of tape engaged with the capstan means substantiallyfaster than normal tape playing speed, magnetic signal duplicating meansfor duplicating in a single pass all magnetic track signals from amaster tape cartridge to a blank tape cartridge, said duplicating meansincluding a pair of fixed pickup heads for the master cartridge slot anda pair of recording heads for the blank cartridge slot with each hEadhaving a plurality of magnetic track signal transducers spaced apartacross the width of the tape to receive signals from alternate trackswith each pair of heads arranged in offset spaced relation along thetape presented by each cartridge to interleave the signal transducerssuch that each track of the tape mates with a transducer, cartridgeholding means for each slot for holding a cartridge therein in drivingengagement with the capstan means and releasing the cartridge fromdriving engagement with the capstan means, and control means connectedto said motor means and to said cartridge holding means and includingserially connected cartridge sensing means in the slots for enablingoperation of the motor means only when there is a cartridge in each slotin a ready to duplicate position, with said control means operable toactuate the cartridge holding means upon full cycling of the magnetictape in a cartridge to release such cartridge from driving engagementwith the capstan means while the other cartridge remains in drivingengagement with the capstan means until it is fully cycled.
 14. In amachine for duplicating from a master tape cartridge the sounds onto ablank tape cartridge, a plurality of cartridge receiving slots openingoutwardly of the machine at one end for insertion of cartridges, motordriven capstan means for the slots for driving engagement of the tapesin cartridges in the slots, magnetic signal duplicating means includinga pickup head associated with one slot and a recording head associatedwith each other slot for duplicating the magnetic signals from a tapecartridge received in one slot to each tape cartridge received in eachother slot, cartridge holding means associated with each slot forreleasably holding the cartridges in the aforesaid tape drivingengagement with the capstan, and means connected to the motor drivencapstan means and to the cartridge holding means for controlling thesame through a cycle of operation comprising initiating operation of themotor driven capstan means while simultaneously with-holding drivingengagement between the cartridge tapes and capstan means by saidcartridge holding means until the capstan means has attained operatingspeed and thereupon initiating operation of the cartridge holding meansto establish tape driving engagement between the capstan means and allthe tape cartridges simultaneously and thereafter initiate operation ofthe cartridge holding means to selectively release the cartridges fromtape driving engagement with the capstan means as each is fully cycled.